RELS316 Zen Buddhism

The history, doctrines, and practices of Chan Buddhism in China and Zen Buddhism in
Japan. Zen practices, as meditation and koan, and the encounter with the "West".

The Zen of Surfing. The Zen of Flamenco Dancing. The Zen of Martial Arts. The Zen
of Yoda. Images of Zen Buddhism are everywhere in pop culture, giving one the impression
of a profound, austere, mystery-filled religion that epitomises the 'wisdom of the
East'. But what is Zen Buddhism really all about? This paper explores Zen Buddhism
from two angles. On the one hand, it examines the historical development of Zen, offering
students a chance to place Zen Buddhism within a longer trajectory of Buddhist thought
in South and East Asia. On the other hand, it examines Zen Buddhism thematically,
looking at important and surprising themes within Zen Buddhism, including the nature
of Zen meditation, the links between Zen and war, the role of women in Zen, the spread
of Zen Buddhism outside Japan and the rise of the 'Zen aesthetic' as a conceit of
twentieth-century counterculture in North America and Europe.

Course materials
include writings from Zen teachers, academic literature on Zen, popular literature
and film. While investigating Zen Buddhism, students will also consider a set of broader
issues pertaining to the study of Asia and religion. These include questions about
Orientalism and secondary Orientalism, Western and Asian imperialism, religious reform,
religious violence, asceticism, monastic life, religion and politics, romanticism,
myth-making, practices of mental cultivation and others.